Technical Field
This disclosure relates to a sheet feeding device, an image forming apparatus incorporating the sheet feeding device, and an image forming system incorporating the sheet feeding device.
Related Art
Sheet feeding devices included in an image forming apparatus are known to convey an uppermost sheet placed on a sheet bundle loaded on a sheet loading table such as a sheet container, to a sheet attraction belt that functions as an attracting and conveying device.
A known sheet feeding device has the configuration in which an uppermost sheet placed on a sheet bundle loaded on a sheet loading table is attracted to the surface of a sheet attraction belt by suction air applied by an air drawing portion that includes an air drawing fan that functions as an air drawing device, and then is conveyed to an apparatus body of an image forming apparatus. In this known sheet feeding device, after the last sheet on which an image is to be formed is fed, the air drawing fan is stopped to terminate an air drawing operation performed by the air drawing portion. Therefore, detachment of the sheet container is restrained until a predetermined time is completely elapses. This predetermined time is an estimated duration to take the sheet attached to the sheet attraction belt to be peeled off or separated from the sheet attraction belt. Accordingly, after completion of image formation, the sheet container can be detached safely without causing any damage to the sheet by, for example, a sheet peeling claw or claws.